National Rail Corporation
Encyclopedia
The National Rail Corporation was a rail operator in Australia
. The Australian Government, New South Wales
and Victoria
established the National Rail Corporation (NR) in 1992. The great majority of its shares were Federally owned, reflecting the fact that the lion's share of assets transferred to it consisted of the interstate rail freight operations of the Australian National Railways Commission
(AN). National Rail commenced operations over the interstate network to Sydney
, Melbourne
, Brisbane
, Perth
, Adelaide
and Alice Springs. In 2001, NR's freight operations and rolling stock were combined with the New South Wales
Government-owned FreightCorp and sold to Toll Holdings
and Patrick Corporation
and were subsequently operated under the name of Pacific National
. The company today trades under the ownership and name of Asciano Ltd.
of Victoria, the State Rail Authority of New South Wales, and the Australian National Railways Commission
. It was decided to order a fleet of modern locomotives to replace them (the NR class
) with United Goninan
obtaining the contract for 120 locomotives. The first unit commenced trials on 23 September 1996 and through the use of two factories the entire fleet was delivered by October 1997.
With the arrival of the class National Rail was able to return leased units to their owners, including FreightCorp 422
, 80
, 81
, and 82 class
units; Silverton Tramway Company 442 class; and V/Line
C class
units. The relatively new EL class
were also removed from the National Rail roster in November 1997. Once all 120 units were delivered, the National Rail fleet still included AN
, BL
and DL class units, along with thirteen 81 class and several hired G class
. The new NR class locomotives were placed on time sensitive trains first.
Rail transport in Australia
Rail transport in Australia is a crucial aspect of the Australian transport network, and an enabler of the wider Australian economy. Rail in Australia is to a large extent state-based. The Australian rail network consists of a total of 41,461 km of track of three major gauges, of which...
. The Australian Government, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
established the National Rail Corporation (NR) in 1992. The great majority of its shares were Federally owned, reflecting the fact that the lion's share of assets transferred to it consisted of the interstate rail freight operations of the Australian National Railways Commission
Australian National Railways Commission
The Australian National Railways Commission was a government owned railway operator in Australia. ANRC was also known as Australian National Railways in its early years and was later rebranded as Australian National .-History:...
(AN). National Rail commenced operations over the interstate network to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and Alice Springs. In 2001, NR's freight operations and rolling stock were combined with the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Government-owned FreightCorp and sold to Toll Holdings
Toll Holdings
TOLL , properly TOLL Holdings Limited, is Australia's largest transport company, based in Melbourne, Victoria. The company has operations in road, rail, sea and air in 55 countries....
and Patrick Corporation
Patrick Corporation
Patrick Corporation Ltd was an Australian publicly listed logistics conglomerate. Headed by CEO Chris Corrigan before it was absorbed by Toll Holdings in 2006, Patrick had interests in shipping, rail and aviation, including a 62% shareholding in airline Virgin Blue...
and were subsequently operated under the name of Pacific National
Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
. The company today trades under the ownership and name of Asciano Ltd.
Fleet
Upon commencing operations in April 1993 the National Rail Corporation inherited a diverse collection of rolling stock to operate interstate freight operations in Australia. The fleet included locomotives of mixed age and power provided by Public Transport CorporationPublic Transport Corporation
The Public Transport Corporation was a State Government of Victoria owned corporate body formed under the Transport Act 1983 which operated passenger and freight trains, trams and bus services in Victoria, Australia....
of Victoria, the State Rail Authority of New South Wales, and the Australian National Railways Commission
Australian National Railways Commission
The Australian National Railways Commission was a government owned railway operator in Australia. ANRC was also known as Australian National Railways in its early years and was later rebranded as Australian National .-History:...
. It was decided to order a fleet of modern locomotives to replace them (the NR class
NR class
The NR class are an Australian mainline diesel electric locomotives introduced by National Rail in 1996. They were the only locomotives ordered by National Rail, thus being named the "NR" Class...
) with United Goninan
United Goninan
UGL Rail is an Australian rail engineering company and specialises in building and re-building railway cars including electric and diesel passenger trains, electric and diesel locomotives, and freight wagons...
obtaining the contract for 120 locomotives. The first unit commenced trials on 23 September 1996 and through the use of two factories the entire fleet was delivered by October 1997.
With the arrival of the class National Rail was able to return leased units to their owners, including FreightCorp 422
New South Wales 422 class locomotive
The 422 class diesel electric locomotive was introduced into the New South Wales rail system in 1969. Clyde Engineering of Granville, New South Wales obtained the contract to build 20 of these units....
, 80
New South Wales 80 class locomotive
The 80 class is a class of mainline diesel locomotive introduced from 1978 in the state of New South Wales. They were the first class to be built "as a whole" by Commonwealth Engineering in Granville, New South Wales, based on an Alco design. Altogether 50 units were built. These units were a...
, 81
New South Wales 81 class locomotive
The 81 class is a class of mainline diesel locomotive in the state of New South Wales. Introduced between 1982 and 1984, the 81 Class is currently the largest class of locomotive in New South Wales, and for many years has been the backbone of the fleet...
, and 82 class
New South Wales 82 class locomotive
The 82 class is a class of mainline diesel locomotive introduced in 1994 in the state of New South Wales. 58 were ordered by then freight operator Freightrail which latter became FreightCorp, and were completed under a Ready Power contract, by Clyde Engineering, Mittagong, New South Wales...
units; Silverton Tramway Company 442 class; and V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
C class
Victorian Railways C class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways C Class GT26C mainline diesel locomotives are a hood unit heavy freight locomotive introduced from 1977 which are mechanically identical to American EMD SD40s, and used on interstate freight services...
units. The relatively new EL class
EL class
The EL class are an Australian mainline diesel electric locomotive originally ordered by Australian National in 1990, and built by Goninan to a local design using imported GE engines and traction equipment. Appearing visually similar to the AN class design, these locomotives haul freight trains...
were also removed from the National Rail roster in November 1997. Once all 120 units were delivered, the National Rail fleet still included AN
AN class
The AN class is a set of Australian diesel electric locomotives, ordered by the Australian National Rail Commission in 1991. Eleven in number, these "JT46C" locomotives from the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors were for use on flagship intercapital freight services...
, BL
BL class
The BL class are an Australian diesel electric locomotives introduced to service in 1983 and built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater, to a contract issued by Australian National. Ten were built over a period of 16 months, from March 1983 to July 1984...
and DL class units, along with thirteen 81 class and several hired G class
V/Line G class
The V/Line G class are a mainline diesel electric locomotives built by Clyde Engineering from 1984, the last of 33 locomotives entering service in December 1989...
. The new NR class locomotives were placed on time sensitive trains first.